Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended	0 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Mar. 28, 2014 Dish Network item	Oct. 29, 2013 Dish Network	Sep. 30, 2014 Dish Network	Dec. 31, 2008 Dish Network	Dec. 20, 2013 Dish Network Wireless Spectrum	Dec. 17, 2013 Dish Network Wireless Spectrum	Sep. 30, 2014 Dish Network Wireless Spectrum	Feb. 27, 2014 Dish Network Wireless Spectrum item	Oct. 30, 2014 Dish Network Wireless Spectrum Subsequent event item	May 31, 2014 Dish Network Wireless Spectrum UTAM, Inc.	May 31, 2014 Dish Network Wireless Spectrum Sprint	Mar. 09, 2012 Dish Network DBSD North America and TerreStar Transactions Wireless Spectrum	Sep. 30, 2014 Dish Network DBSD North America and TerreStar Transactions Wireless Spectrum	Mar. 09, 2012 Dish Network Networks Inc. Terrestal
Spectrum Investments
Payment to acquire certain 700 MHz wireless licenses					$ 712,000,000
700 MHz Interim Build-Out Requirement (as a percent)				35.00%
700 MHz Final Build-Out Requirement (as a percent)				70.00%
Modified 700 MHz Interim Build-Out Requirement (as a percent)			40.00%
Modified 700 MHz Final Build-Out Requirement (as a percent)			70.00%
Accelerated period to meet Modified 700 MHz Build-Out Requirement on failure to meet Modified 700 MHz Interim Build-Out Requirement				1 year
Percentage of equity acquired															100.00%
Purchase price													2,860,000,000
AWS-4 Interim Build-Out Requirement (as a percent)														40.00%
AWS-4 Final Build-Out Requirement (as a percent)														70.00%
Accelerated period to meet Final Build-Out Requirement on failure to meet Interim Build-Out Requirement								1 year
Extension term of AWS-4 Final Build-Out Requirement						1 year
Number of wireless spectrum licenses		176							176
Aggregate bid price									1,564,000,000
Payment to meet H Block auction requirements							328,000,000
Remaining balance amount due of H Block spectrum licenses							1,236,000,000
Payment for clearance costs associated with the lower H Block spectrum											13,000,000
Payment for clearance costs associated with the upper H Block spectrum												95,000,000
H Block Interim Build-Out Requirement (as a percent)								40.00%
H Block Final Build-Out Requirement (as a percent)								75.00%
Accelerated period to meet Build-Out Requirement on failure								2 years
Number of other applicants qualified to participate in the AWS-3 auction										69
Aggregate reserve price for licenses in the 1695-1710 MHz band										580,000,000
Aggregate reserve price for paired licenses in the 1755-1780/2155-2180 MHz bands										10,066,000,000
Dividend paid to DOC	$ 650,000,000	$ 650,000,000